[egbert]

Do you keep your chicken poo as compost - I have seen it for sale in garden centers etc so assume it would be good stuff?

Is it better to keep it as a separate compost pile, or to mix it in with the current compost in the composter we have for kitchen waste and garden waste - we already have one for garden only as we have a lot of garden waste material.

Another, potential daft question - we have a moveable chicken coop and run, the theory being that it will stop them destroying the garden so much. Would you pick up the poo from the garden after moving the run each time to add to the compost, or leave it to naturally feed the grass . . .

[spencers mum]

Hi Egbert1  I'm new too and this is what I'm doing based upon what others have told me and what I've read.  I'm mixing poo in with all my other compost 'waste' (can be too strong otherwise apparently) and although my coop is static, I do 'pick up' after my girls and compost that too.  Hope this helps!!   According to experts it's supposed to be THE stuff to garden with ... looking forward to seeing those onions grow!

[doganjo]

Yup, mine goes in the compost bin and I'm starting to use the lower stuff after a year.

[egbert]

Thanks again - you guys are very helpful.

I know in my head that compost helps the garden grow, but the idea of eating veg grown in 'waste' is just very off putting. Although I have already put loads of rotted horse manure in the raised beds - I will certainly be sure to wash veg more carefully in future! 

[doganjo]

The manure is well gone by the time the veg are ready to eat.

[northfifeduckling]

I keep my bird waste on a seperate heap and mix it when it's rotted for a year before I put it on the plot.  It would be just too much on the veg heap. I don't pick it up from the lawn - ever tried that with duck poo ?

[doganjo]

My dogs do a very good job of that for me

[Annie22]

Dogandjo, What is it with dogs and poo.  When I picked up my hay from the hay merchant, they have a compost pile and a nice pumpkin plant growing out of it.  I put my chicken poo in the compost waste as well.

[suziequeue]

I have a dalek for the veg waste (to which human urine is added from time to time!) and a big heap for the garden waste as there is alot of it. I try and make layers of "wet" grass cuttings and "dry" chicken coop bedding which is shavings and chicken poo.... but gave the heap a good overall soaking this weekend.

My plan is to have a big heap in the summer and then once my DH stops mowing the lawn - shovel it all into daleks to rot down for 18 months. There is not going to be much veg waste in future as the wormery will have it.

Another thing I have heard is putting sheep droppings into water and letting it dissolve. Apparently that makes very good plant food.

Susanna

[Wizard]

Don't want to get into trouble but chicken Pooh makes a jolly good fertilizer.I don't know if its still there Jackie but about some where opposite HARA on the aerodrome a chap was drying it and selling it as fertilizer ( He may of stopped since oil is so expensive now) Lady Yarborough's retired head gardener swore by Red Rooster.It comes in pails and is true organic stuff  It in my opinion is quite expensive.Roy next door uses it to he gets excellent results with it.I don't know any one that composts it though.Plough it in as muck no end do,

[sheila]

We used to go out on a sunday and collect sheep droppings. They were then places in a hessian sack and suspended in a barrel of water. It looked a bit like stewed tea but wasn't half good as a free fertlizer,

[Wizard]

Years ago Sheila we collected and put it in an old wool sock tied up the top tight and suspended it in an old dolly tub of rain water at the end of the greenhouse the tea was fed to the tomatoes.With magnificent results I'm sure I still do it See no point in spending £5:06 on a litre of Tomorite When S/S/Liquid is as good or better.Still have not found out why modern tomato skins are as thick and tough as they are today.Have you?

[egbert]

we have a field full of dried cow pats from last years grazing that is about to be rotavated or whatever - but I am not sure I have the energy to go and pick up the pats! Then I could either dig it straight into the roses or mix it with the chicken poo and keep for next year.

[pottsie]

I put my chicken waste on to my compost with layers of veg waste, grass cuttings and even sometimes bags of shredings from work that they are going to throw (keeps it airated). I have found that since putting on the chicken waste the compost turns quicker and i would apear to have much more energy. I used to use red rooster pellets for growin before this and it seems to do the same job for free.

Rob.

[Wizard]

I'm quite sure it does Rob The snag with Red Rooster it's so expensive.I was chatting with the chap on Killingholme Airfield and he said if the cost of diesel goes up much more it will not pay me to do it Ex the battery it contains a lot of water most of which needs to be driven off or it wont keep.His words not mine